Sectional-case construction



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E. G. LEHMAN SECTIQNAL CASE CONSTRCTION Filed sepa. 21. wie sshams-samt@ 1911 3 Sheena-Sheet 5 E. G. I EHMAN SECTIONAL CASECONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 2l.

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- ffm Patented Der.. 2, 1924.,

EDWARD G. LEHMAN, 0F CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE .ASSGNMENTS, T0'UNITED ALLOY STEEL CORPORATON, 0F CANTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION 0F NEWYORK.

SECTIONAL-CASE CONSTRUCTION.

Appllcation led September 21, 1918.

To all whom may concern Be it known that l, EDWARD G. LEHMAN, a citizenof the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSectional-Case Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to sectional cases made of sheet metal for filingand storing purposes, and the object of the improvement is to make theshell or frame of each section or unit of such a case with a minimumamount of sheet metal so disposed as to give the necessary strength, andto provide means for engaging and locking the sections together whenassembled one above the other to form a stand or tier.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, thus briefly outlined, isillustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which-Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shell of a single section havingone side plate removed, with a base section and a top section spacedtherefrom to show the method of engaging and locking the sectionstogether;

Fig, 2,.a front elevation of the shell of a single section;

Fig. 3, a plan section of the same on line 3 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 5, a ltop plan View of the same; and

Fig. 6, a side elevation section showing two sections engaged and lockedtogether.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

lnach section or unit of the case or cabinet comprises a back plate 1,side plates 2, and a front frame 3; and the cross plates 4 and 4a at thetop and bottom of the back plate and 5 and 5a at the top and bottom ofthe front frame. The back plate 1 has side flanges 6 abutting the sideplates, and each side plate 2 has rear flanges 7 embracing the flangedcorner of the back plate and forward flanges 7a forming the ends of thefront frame. bottom flanges 8 and 8a embracing the ends of the upper andlower cross plates 4, 4 and 5 and 5a of the back plate and the frontframe.

The upper and lower cross plates 4 and 41 The side plates 2 also havetop and Serial No. 255,086.

are bent inward from the upper and lower ner edges, while the frontframe plates also have similar flanges 10 and 10 on their forward edges,which flanges serve to stiften the cross plates.

The ends of the L-flanges terminate at the inner edges of the side plateflanges 8 and 8a, leaving the inwardly extending tongues 11 and 11EL andthe corresponding portions of the connecting plates to be overlapped bythe side plate flanges 7a, 8 and 8a; and theI overlapped end portions ofthe cross plates are preferably off-set along lines 12 and 12, so thatthe side plate flanges will lie in the same'plane as the body of thecross plates.

The front frame 3 is formed by the L- flanges 10 and 1()EL turned inwardalong the forward edges of the cross plates 5 and 5a. and the ends ofthe frame are completed by the forward flanges 72L of the side plates,which not only overlap the ends of the L- flanges l() and 102L and thetongues 11a thereof, but have l..-portions 13 extending inward at theinner edges of the tongues 1la and are preferably off-set on line 14corresponding to the inner edge of the l flanges 10 and 10, so as tostrengthen the frame forming the front. opening of the section or unit.

It will be understood that all the embracing and overlapping portions ofthe parts thus described are secured or connected together as byspot-welding and that the section or unit thus formed will havegreatrigidity in all directions in lview of the angular and overlappingflange construction.

Superposed sections are engaged together by means of flat hooks 15,provided on the 'l upper cross plates and extending through apertures 16provided in the lower cross plates, there being preferably one hook andaperture located near each end of each cross plate.

Each hook is preferably made of a strong metal strip oE-set to form avertical shank 1.7 between its horizontal end portions; which shank islocated in a transverse slot 18 provided therefor in the connectingplate and the lower horizontal portion is secured as by spot-welding tothe under side of said plate, while the upper horizontal portion forms aflat hook spaced above the top of the plate, the free end of the hookbeing directed forward thereon.

rlhe apertures 16 are provided in the lower cross plates la and 5 of alength and breadth to freelyv receive the length and breadth of the fiathooks and the hooks and apertures are so located on the respective crossplates, that when an upper section is placed upon alower section, andthe hoo-hs passe-:l through the apertures, the upper section will heoH-set forward from the lower section, and that by pushing the uppersection rearward, the hook will pass bodily over the body of the crossplate in front of the aperture and engage the sections together, whenthey are alined with eachother.

A'turn button 2O is pivoted to the .up-

right portion ofthe L-fiange 9a of the superposed section, which isrotated upward for engaging the sec-tions; but after the sections areengaged. this button is swung' downward immeeiate'ly back of thevertical por tionof the L--flange 9 of the subsidiary section, as shownin Fig. .6, which securely locks the sections together and prevents adisengagement of the hooks.

. A. base 21 having legs 22 and a solid. floor 23, is preferably used atthe bottom of each tier or stand of sections, upon which floor isprovided the hook 15 for engaging in apertures 16 of the lower unit,andv also a slot 2e for locking the same unit in engagement with thebase; and a finishingtop is preferably provided at .the top of the standor tier, which top .is provided with suitableapertures 16 for engaging;with the hoolrs of theupper unit and a button 2O for locking the toptothe same unit.

Although the tops and bottoms of each separate unit are open between thefront and rear cross plates, the upper and lower ends the tier arecompletely closed by the finishingtop and the solid base; and it will`be understood that the interior of each unit or section is fitted withsuitable guides or slides, not shown, for receiving' drawers,

shelves and other idling receptaclesE as may be desired, the same to beentered and withdrawn; through the opening formed by the 'front frame ofthe unit.

l' claim:

1.v Sheet, ine-tal. shell construction for sectional case unitscomprising back and side plates, cross plates at the top and bottom ofthe back plate having' inturned flanges at the forward edges, and afront frame including top and bottom cross plates having -inturnedflanges 'at the forward and rear edges, there being flanges on the sideplates overlapping the ends of the cross plates and said forward flangesof the front frame cross plates, the forward side plate flanges beingbent and extended inward between the forward cross plate flanges.

2. Sheet metal shell construction for sectional case units comprisingback and side plates, cross plates at the top and bottom of the backplate having inturned flanges at their forward edges, and a front frameincluding top and bottoni cross plates having` inturned flanges at theforward and rear edges, there being' tongues extending inward at theends of the cross plates and of the forward inturned flan ges of thefront frame cross plates, and there being flanges on the side platesoverlapping the ends of the cross plates and said forward flanges, andthe tongues extending therefrom, the forward side plate flanges beingbent and rxtended 'inward at the inner edges of the front flangetongues,

Sheet metal shell construction for sectional case units, comprising backand side plates, cross plates at the top and bottom ot' the back plateshaving inturned L-flanges along` their forward edges, and a front frameincluding' top and bottom cross plates having; inturned L-flanges attheir forward and rear flanges, there being tongues extending inward atthe ends of the cross plates and of the forward L-flanges of thel frontframe cross plates, and there being flanges on the side platesoverlapping the ends of the cross plates and said forward L- flanges andthe tongues extending therefrom, the forward side plate flanges being;rbent and extended inward at the inner edges ol the front flange tongues.

1. Sheet metal shell construction for sec-- tional case unitsincludingtops and bottoms composed of cross plates at the front andrear, "lat hooks spaced upward from the top plates and correspondi1-relVapertures in the bottom plates adapted to pass the hooks when an uppersection is .set forward upon a. lower section for bodily engaging theplates of the upper section under the hooks by pushing the upper sectionrearward into alinemcnt with the lower section, and means. as button.for stopping the sections in eneagred position.

5. A hook for the sheet metal top of a sectional unit or the' like.comprisingflat end portions .with an intervenin,gT perpendicular shank,there being); a slot in the plate adapted to receive the shank forsecuring1r one end portion to one side of the plate and spacing theother flat portion from thc other side of the plate.

EDWARD G. LEHMAN.

